Obama is getting down with the 80s and 90s kids, makes sense as they're the ones who can now vote!

Yay! Obama! What will he do next? Or a better question would be, what has he ever done?

Oh, please. There's nitpicking and then there's this post, which takes it to another level.

I like how every gaming site is making the exact same comment on this quote.

What next, Is Hilary Clinton gonna try banning video games all together, ohh wait I think she already did that.

Do we really expect this guy to know the difference between a gameboy and a DS? Better yet, do we WANT our politicians to spend time learning the nuances of gaming culture? I think not.

Gah, Game Boy is just a generic term for handheld systems. It has nothing to do with being out of touch or anything. Ask anyone that really doesn't play games often, and they'll probably say something like Game Boy. I don't know what the big deal is about.

I find it very ironic that a lot of people in the gaming industry tend to be democrats. but, their party is so against video game industry (politically speaking).

...and for that matter, I still call my DS a 'game boy'. It might not be the correct nomenclanture...but if anyone heard me call it a game boy and came over to correct me, I'd punch them in the face.

The bit about it being "antiquated" is pretty nitpicky, but I just can't stand it when politicians try to gain the companionship of a different group by making cheap generalized statements that supposedly would get that group to join in their cause.

It's like his speech writer was like, "What can we use to get the young people? What's hip? I know! GAMEBOYS."

The thing is, Obama's pretty young and normally seems pretty in-touch. I would have hoped he'd have at least an Onyx Lite at home. Maybe he's a Neo-Geo Pocket man...

Even among savvy crowds, no one knows what the hell I'm talking about if I try and say "DS". Pretty much only people who have played them know them by that name. PSP is better, but almost as bad.

Neither will ever enjoy the ubiquitousness of the term "Gamboy," no matter how popular they become. It's just a factor of language. Gameboy is easier to say and remember, and it registers with more people.

Also... good gravy Kotaku, am I really having to explain this to you?!

@Torokun

Both parties have hate in their heart for the game industry. 'Clowns to the left of us, jokers to the right, here we are stuck in the middle again.'

(That's just an easy quip not my political view btw)

My DS is a Game Boy, too. The TV bit is the more interesting part of the quote in my opinion. If you have them turn off the TV, where will they get their socialist brow-beatings?

Not that I don't admire the attempt to get people involved, but a pop-culture reference is less effective here than, say, solid positions or any realistic plan of action (deadline pullouts notwithstanding). Without anything tangible this "things are going to change" talk is exactly that - talk. I'd likely disagree with his positions on a number of subjects, but I'd have to respect him for at least laying it out on the table as so few politicians of any winged-ness do.

This seems a bit akin to making fun of a waiter when they bring you a Pepsi when you asked for a "Coke".

@Laxcat: Same 'ere...if I say "DS" I generally have to throw in the phrase "my game machine" or sommat within vicinity otherwise people have no idea what I'm talking about.

Or they think I'm talking about BDSM, which is a whole 'nother topic.

Fun stuff xD

if for some strange reason like i got high and see God or something and then actually feel like voting, i'll just vote hilary, she seems like she knows what she is doing other than the whole anti-games campigain.

But why vote, if the person i vote for gets into office, and does a whole lot of "bush". I can't complain.

@futurebiblehero

yes. yes it is. it is equally apt!

Switch off the TV and Gameboy? What for? Coz "We've got work to do"? But isn't fixing the country the responsibility of the politicians? If anything, he should be encouraging us to play more games and watch more tv, as that will lead to more spending and more tax money for the government.

I guess he meant for the kids to stop playin games and watchin tv long enough to get off their asses and go vote for him...hmm, but isn't a "Gameboy" exactly what you need while you're waiting in line to vote???

Stop playing gameboy?? Like you're going to get my vote now...

@Ultimateidiot

You are whats wrong with America.

Actually, I think of a lot of kids still play Game Boy Advance SP. It's pretty much the hand-me-down system nowadays.

But seriously, I agree. Mostly nitpicking. :)

Ahaha.. haha.. ha... hm.

Wow.

It's too bad "stop downloading your homebrewed firmware for your PSPs" doesn't quite roll off the tongue.

Seriously, this is beyond nitpicking - this is knocking someone for using common parlance in a constructive way to reach out to an audience with larger concerns than whether or not the next 360 iteration will have a 65nm processor.

Incredibly lame, Kotaku. Incredibly.

Obama's comical quote on video games, is just as comical as you all's opinions on politics.

@insomniabob:

lol!
"excuse me, I belive the correct term is~" BAM!!!!

@Karttikeya:

... and as comical as your grammar.

Putting down my gameboy right now!! I hope, MR. Obama let's me play with my game & watch still.. I would die!!

game boy is pretty much synonymous with handheld now with nintendo having such an influence on the market. it would be the same as having someone saying ipods or something as it is pretty much synonymous with mp3 player.

though on a sarcastic note... sorry mr. obama, i can't tell them to turn off their televisions and game boys, they're turning on youtube and playing ds as we speak =X

I call my DS Billy McHooperstickle.

No reason, really, I just like the name.

"Hey, bro, seen my Billy McHooperstickle?"

He is in no way saying that playing gameboy is BAD. He is just giving a sort of rallying cry for people to get more involved. I fully support Obama and am going to volunteer for as much as possible.

And still play gameboy. Which I am playing. Final Fantasy VI anyone? ITS FOR GAMEBOY. ITS IN THIS CENTURY.

Way to nitpick. Lets make fun of every adult that has ever called any gaming system Nintendo or PlayStation while we're at it

@hegemonyhog:

You summed up what I was thinking right there. Thanks for that.

The other day, I blew my nose on a Puffs brand facial tissue, but I referred to it as a Kleenex. No one lost any sleep over it.

I was there, and I laughed a little when he said that.

I've had bowel movements with more substance and intelligence than Mr. Obama. He is a moron, quite simply.

One thing that's interesting about Nintendo's discontinuing the GameBoy line is that now we get to see which adults are out of the loop. I figure most older folks, if they don't game, only know about GameBoys because they have been around for soo long it got subconsciously drilled into their heads

Game Boy is my most favortist system of all time.

Obama, you lost my vote. Not that you had it anyway.

"I find it very ironic that a lot of people in the gaming industry tend to be democrats. but, their party is so against video game industry (politically speaking)."

And Republicans aren't?

As for Obama's quote, it's just a generic term used for handheld games, everybody knows its exactly like the Kleenex example. I know it sounds silly but generally i give most people a pass if they dont understand more of the deeper nuances of the gaming industry. He's not an idiot, he just doesn't know gaming. I don't know what the big deal is.

Seriously, Gameboy = Portable game system. While I'm more of the type that's not going to generalize like that, (in fact I'd rather educate others if they don't understand what I mean by DS or SP.) I totally understand generalizing a statement in order to have the maximum amount of people understand what it is he's talking about. If he said "Turn of your DS's..." I guarentee a larger chunk of people wouldn't understand what he meant.

But still, I realize not everyone is like me and if he's going to generalize, I'm not going to sit there and go "WHOAMG HE DONE USEDED THE RONG WORDS! LOLOLOLOLOL WAT A NUB-CAKES!"

To further prove my point about generalities, I have a few friends from other states and they tell me they refer to every soda as "a coke." They'd be like "Hey, pass me a coke." to which their friend would reply "What kind?"

nothing to do with us, just crap to please the older generation. darned kids, nothing but tv and gameboy all day.

For the record, none of these politicans, Democrats or Republicans, actually care about video games or banning them. They're just trying to score a few points with the more "anal" parent types, since they know full well they can get a few votes from those guys, whereas they won't lose any votes from those voters that don't care about the video game issue.

Dang, I wrote up a good 3 paragraph response to this but it didn't seem to upload. Oh well.

Basically: Gameboy = portable gaming system. I know some people from other parts of the good ol' US of A that refer to all sodas as "Cokes." They'd say something like "Hey pass me a Coke." and thier friends would say "Sure, what kind."

Seriously now, this is just finding ways to poke fun at politicians. I am quite dissapointed in you, Kotaku, and any other gaming site tha pokes fun at this.

Oops... nevermind. I hate this system of commenting. I always think my comments didn't show up. Oh well, disregard my 2nd (and this) comment.

Oh man, people making a big deal out of sentence fragments, that must mean it's time for politics!

Can we get past this? It's obnoxious. Let's focus on the only part we can tear apart in less than 10 seconds without doing research.

Well he's right you shouldn't be playing on a gameboy its not the 80's :P

Anyway I dont blame him calling a handheld a gameboy I said to classmate that I wanted to play on my Wii and he gave me the most horrid glare ever. He only got it when I said its was a nintendo to which he made a lame joke about pong. Dont worry I hate my narrow minded classmates all they all talk about is sex all day.

@semmem1: hillary clinton is not trying to ban video games. she is trying to make businesses keep a firmer grasp on esrb ratings and laws

Obama says: "Quit watchin GoBots on your betamax or listenin to rock n roll music on your Walkman!! y'hear!"

huihyi

"I find it very ironic that a lot of people in the gaming industry tend to be democrats. but, their party is so against video game industry (politically speaking)."

Wow, um...just so you know, there are more important things in the world besides video games...

as along as we're piling on: vaseline, petroleum jelly, bandaid, first aid bandage.

Out of curiosity, when was the last time everyone here voted?

Last presidential election. I was 21 at the time and I did NOT like the looks I got from the older voters/people running the show.

Wow, awesome non-story. Pardon me while I dry my tears of pity with a Kleenex...I MEAN TISSUE OMG.

The point of his quip was "Get off your cat-ass and get involved." If you're too stupid to realize that (and to realize Gameboy is pretty much how Kleenex is and how Nintendo was from 1985 to about 1998ish), you're the case in point why nobody takes the "gaming community" seriously. Politicians simply don't care because gamers statstically do not vote (either by age or apathy) and are not involved financially or personally in any election.

Hell, even going on the "he's a parent, he should know," it doesn't work. His two kids are under 10 and well, they're female, which pretty much puts them out of the gaming demographic.

Way to keep perpetuating the stereotype that gamers simply do not matter and only circlejerk with their niche little group over petty things that ultimately don't matter and act solely in a childish and immature way. You rock.

Ironically, if someone an editor on Kotaku made the same error, you would get 150 posts going, "OMG Ur Not Teh Journalists!"

You've got to be kidding me with this post. It does, however, remind me of a story that sums up exactly *why* it was appropriate to use "Gameboy" as an example:

About a month ago my company gave a presentation to a bunch of business people in my industry. The chairman of our board, when trying to explain why younger people are "less afraid" of technology the older people said, "Well, they've got their iPods, their W-i-i's...." I guarantee that I was one of probably three people that understood what the hell he was talking about. Had he used "Nintendo" or even "Atari" the point would have been crystal clear.

sorry, should have been "than older people said."

@Jay:
Ironically, Kotaku is a gaming blog that focuses on reporting gaming, so if they made the same error they SHOULD get 150 posts saying "OMG UR NOT TEH JOURNALISTS." Kotaku reports on video games, so them fucking up a name of a handheld is wrong just out of competency.

I'd wager 98% of Politicians aren't gamers, and the odds that any of them really know what's going on in the tech sector are probably more of a long-shot than the odds of the KC Royals winning the World Series.

Nice try though.

@LORDofDANCE: I believe the man was being sarcastic...

Is the DS a "Nintendo Gameboy DS" or is it just the "Nintendo DS" ?

Anyway, people still call vacuum cleaners 'Hoovers' and many journalists when talking about games consoles just use the term 'Playstation'. 'Gameboy' has for many years been the generic term for a handheld games machine. I think it still applies for the time being.

And the Gameboy Advance isn't that old is it?

@futurebiblehero:
I've killed waiters who presented me a Pepsi when I requested a Coke. Actually commited homicide, I did. Even drowned them in giant vats of Pepsi to prove my point.

@Nikolii:
That was the most extremely well said comment I've read in a long time.

I think what Flynn might be trying to point out is that politicians feel the need to make opinionated statements (and take action against) everything and anything, when they clearly have no knowledge about the subject that they are commenting on.

@hegemonyhog: Last mid-term election, actually.

Yeah, we seem to be forgetting the GAME BOY Advance.

I still see kids playing SP's. The DS is only 2 years old, it's not like the Game Boy name is antiquated or something.

It's not like he said "Stop playing Atari".